Thursday, February 26, 2009

13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.

Sis. Cropper, Santa, NANA, and Me. (Christmas time in Brazil)

Today this scripture became a true testimony of the promises of the Lord for me once again. What a blessing it was to serve a mission for the Lord. Not for me!! I truly was filled with PURE JOY when I got a message on my facebook from my friend NANA. I was able to have an amazing experience teaching the gospel to her and her friend Simone. They were good friends who worked at the super market around the corner from the house we were living in. They saw us pass by their store everyday. We saw Simone next to an area they call a praca (prasa) one day with a water fountain and benches surrounded by cars passing by on everyday direction. We started talking to her and she wanted to know what we did. She couldn't help but notice us everyday I remember her saying. We invited her to come to church with us that coming sunday and to our SUPRISE she showed up at 8:30 in the morning at the bus stop and she brought NANA with her. Before long we were teaching all of them the discussions/lessons and Nana got an answer to her prayers that the Book of Mormon was true through a really cool experience and she was baptized super fast. NANA was the 2nd to last baptism that I got to witness before my mission ended. She facebooked me today and told me the news that she is going to serve a mission. How the spirit touched me! I'm so excited for her and words can express enough gratitude to Heavenly Father for meeting this speical girl in my life!! Simone got baptized after I came home from my mission and she served a mission in RIO De Janerio as well and her whole family became members of the church as well. I know that missionary work is so powerful and the spirit truly converts those that are ready to hear the truth!! I know all of us can still be missionaries even if we aren't serving a full time mission! I know the Lord will bless us if we make an effort!

Ihave tons of pics with these girls except they are not digital pictures so I will have to get them scanned or something. yes back in 2004 digital cameras were very rare for us. Here is a pic of my friend Simone that I love so much! She is inside a church house! She's so funny.